Mackenzie Bennett

"Strikers shaped my work ethic and leadership skills into a strong foundation that I’ve continued to build upon in college. I was always a quieter kid who was afraid of the spotlight, but I was always encouraged to lead by example. Here I gained confidence that led me to become not only a leader by example in college, but a strong, dependable vocal leader as well. Strikers taught me to constantly push myself past what I thought I could do, and gave me a strong work ethic that has helped me in many facets of my life outside of soccer. My work ethic, communication and leadership skills have allowed me to dominate the classroom and have the confidence I need to succeed in a competitive nursing school.

The environment, the coaching staff and players, together, had the biggest impact on my life. Everyone I met was welcoming and contributed to maintaining a healthy, competitive atmosphere. I felt safe and encouraged to make mistakes in order to learn. This environment led me to decide to continue playing in college. I’ve made lifelong friends and memories here, and I am beyond thankful for the time I was able to spend here.

As someone who jumped around different clubs for a few years before I landed at Strikers, I can easily say Strikers has felt like my home. Playing for this club reignited my passion for soccer and built my confidence as a player and a person. Because of this, I decided to continue my soccer career at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. This past fall we made an NCAA tournament appearance and had one of our best seasons in history. The skills both on and off the field I attained from playing at Strikers shaped me into the college player I am today. With that I’ve been able to win awards such as All Conference First Team, Defensive Player of the Year in the WIAC region, Scholar All American first team in the North/Central region, and Scholar All American second team for NCAA DIII women’s soccer."  – Mackenzie Bennett